Chapter 208: Heaven-Cleaving Sword Draw Technique and Uchiha Shisui's Wager
Franklin's relaxed demeanor made it impossible for Uchiha Shisui to grasp his true intentions for the moment.
Locking eyes with Franklin's eerie Rinnegan—those ringed, spiraling pupils—it felt as though his very soul could be dragged into them.
"Apologies. I was too rash. And thank you as well, my lord, for saving my life."
After bowing deeply in sincere gratitude, Uchiha Shisui looked up at Franklin once more.
"I want to know who you really are, my lord. What exactly are you trying to do? And why is the Fourth Hokage still alive?"
Meeting Shisui's curious gaze, Franklin let out a soft breath. He had no intention of explaining such meaningless details. Instead, he placed one hand on Uchiha Shisui's shoulder.
A protective barrier spread outward, enveloping the two of them. In the next instant, using Flying Thunder God, Franklin brought him directly to the moon—one of the results of Franklin's seven years of effort.
The azure-blue planet came into view. Franklin turned to the visibly shocked Uchiha Shisui beside him.
"That is the planet we currently live on. And within this boundless, dark universe, there are countless planets just like it."
Following Franklin's pointing finger, with the assistance of Illusory World Genesis, a detailed 3D holographic projection appeared before Shisui's eyes—Blue Star, the Earth–Moon system, the solar system, and then gradually expanding outward to the Milky Way.
Watching Shisui stare blankly at the vast starry sky, unable to recover for a long while, Franklin felt a deep sense of satisfaction.
After that brief indulgence, Franklin erased the projection and lightly tapped Shisui, prompting him to look back at the Blue Star before them.
"Such a tiny planet, yet the nations upon it periodically engage in meaningless self-weakening and conflict. In my view, it's utterly foolish.
The real crisis doesn't come from within—it comes from the infinite possibilities beyond. The legends about the origin of chakra are something every ninja knows at least a little about.
The existence of Ōtsutsuki Kaguya should be extremely familiar to you. What I'm about to tell you is this: Ōtsutsuki Kaguya was merely a relatively low-ranking member of the Ōtsutsuki clan.
The reason she came to the Blue Star was entirely because she was carrying out a mission. Her mission was to plant a Divine Tree on this planet and wait for a thousand years.
Once the Divine Tree matured, drained all life energy from the planet, and bore a Divine Tree Fruit, she was to take that fruit back to the Ōtsutsuki clan.
However, during those thousand years, an accident occurred—and you should be very familiar with what followed.
In the end, for various reasons, she was sealed away. And the moon is the place where she is sealed."
Faced with this massive influx of information, Uchiha Shisui did not allow himself to be swept along by Franklin's words or pace.
He gradually recovered from the initial shock. When Franklin finished speaking, Shisui looked at him seriously.
"Apologies, Lord Franklin. I'm grateful that you saved me, but I have to say that none of this has anything to do with me.
Right now, I only want to protect my clan and safeguard Konoha. Those other things aren't something I should be thinking about."
Those words instantly made Franklin—who had planned to show off his astronomical knowledge and subtly pull Shisui into the Akatsuki—feel extremely awkward.
"You're making this really hard for me. Can't you cooperate a little? At least let me finish speaking."
Uchiha Shisui shook his head decisively. "This information has no meaning to me right now.
Only by first saving my clan and allowing them to coexist peacefully with Konoha can I have a future—can my life have hope and meaning.
When that time comes, I'll have the time, and perhaps the ability, to think about what you've said. I haven't reached your level yet, Lord Franklin. The future of the Blue Star isn't something I can influence."
These words were realistic—painfully so. Franklin understood them very well. But there were some things that Shisui didn't get to decide. After all, the Akatsuki was currently in desperate need of powerful individuals.
"Sit down first."
Seeing that Franklin stopped talking and instead sat down directly on the ground, patting the spot beside him, Uchiha Shisui didn't hesitate and sat down next to him.
"Can you tell me what your ideal in life is?"
Shisui understood that he had to answer this question. Though he didn't quite know why, he still thought carefully before responding.
"My ideal in life? I'm not entirely sure. At first, I hoped that war would disappear, that peace would forever blanket the ninja world—but that's clearly impossible.
As for now, I only hope that the village can continue to exist peacefully. Because as long as the village exists, more people can be sheltered, and more people can live their entire lives safely and happily."
After hearing Shisui's answer, Franklin let out a soft breath.
"You've shifted from idealism to realism. More rational than Nagato—but at the same time, you've lost the sharpness and boldness a young person should have."
As he spoke, the Guardian Sword appeared in Franklin's hand. Spiritual energy gathered within the blade, hidden yet ready to erupt.
"Ideals extinguished by reality, reason filling every thought—this is good, but also bad. You're still young. You should be looking further ahead.
Right now, do you want the five great nations of the ninja world to achieve complete peace, with no more interference or conflict between them in the future?"
Meeting Franklin's confident gaze, Uchiha Shisui was dazed for a brief moment, then calmly shook his head.
"I do hope for that. But you can't achieve it. As long as nations exist, as long as conflicts of interest exist, conflict can never be stopped—"
Before Shisui could continue, Franklin had already lowered his stance, placing the long sword at his waist. After observing the positions of the five nations and calculating the timing, he took a light breath.
"Heaven-Cleaving Sword Draw Technique."
Five dim sword lights shot out.
Franklin exhaled softly and sat back down again.
"Your ideal is about to be realized. Can you now listen to my plans for the future of the ninja world?"
Uchiha Shisui looked at Franklin with a strange expression, then glanced at the five dim sword lights that had vanished instantly from sight.
"Lord Franklin, are you joking with me? Everything I said just now came from my heart.
Peace in the ninja world is impossible—at least, I can't see any hope for it.
Right now, the only thing we can do is stop the clan coup. Only then can we reduce Konoha's self-inflicted weakening and allow it to maintain peace.
Otherwise, the other villages will surely take advantage of the situation and wipe out Konoha completely. When that happens, the Third Great Ninja War, which has only just ended, may erupt again, burying this hard-won peace once more."
Watching Uchiha Shisui beside him, who was trying so hard to convince himself, Franklin smiled faintly and pointed toward the Blue Star.
Seeing Franklin's indifferent attitude, Shisui felt intense agitation and anxiety. He wasn't a match for him, and they were on the moon—he wanted to do something, yet could do nothing.
He desperately wanted to dismiss everything around him as an illusion, but the vivid sensations and his deep understanding of genjutsu made it clear to him that he truly was on the moon.
With no choice, he followed the direction of Franklin's finger and looked toward the Blue Star once more, suppressing the frustration and anger in his heart.
At first, he felt nothing. Then a fleeting flash caught his attention, and Uchiha Shisui instantly activated his Sharingan to observe more closely.
Several faint points of light gradually expanded in his vision. The sword lights Franklin had just unleashed were now surging forward, continuously fusing with countless incomprehensible forces.
Their presence transformed—from restrained, subtle, and weak, into something arrogant and terrifying. Boundless might spread through the endless vacuum.
At first, Shisui had thought Franklin was joking. But after witnessing this, a thin sheen of cold sweat formed on his forehead.
If this momentum continued, the Blue Star might truly be split into five parts—and those five parts corresponded exactly to the current five great nations.
He forcefully shook his head, driving that absurd, impossible thought out of his mind, and looked seriously at Franklin.
"Lord Franklin, don't toy with me. You absolutely cannot do something like that.
Five casual slashes, cleaving apart a vast planet where countless people live—you simply can't do that."
Franklin smiled, neither confirming nor denying it. He patted the ground beside him again, signaling Shisui to sit.
"Then let's make a wager.
If I can do it, from that point on, you'll listen to me. Stop worrying about Konoha and the Uchiha clan—it's meaningless.
Follow me and do something truly great: unify the ninja world, completely end this chaotic era of ninja warfare, and usher in an age of technological revolution that will turn the ninja world upside down."
Looking at Franklin's calm expression, then at the azure Blue Star and the five sword lights, Uchiha Shisui fell into deep conflict.
After a long while, his gaze finally steadied.
"Then let's make the bet. If you can't do it, after everything is over, I want you to allow the Uchiha clan and Konoha to coexist peacefully."